F1Weekly Podcast # 975
Play Podcast: 01-17-23f1weekly975.mp3
CLARK AND NASIR DISCUSS THE LATEST NEWS ON WILLIAMS NEW TEAM PRICIPAL. THEIR BOTH MEZMORISED BY THE BEAUTY OF SAUDI ARABIA AND WE BRING MORE F1 HISTORY GOODIES IN MOTORSPORTS MONDIAL!
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE… WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NEWEST, THE YOUNGEST, THE FRESHEST RACE DRIVER ON THE KARTING SCENE! PASHA ALI.
BENAVIDES EARNS SECOND DAKAR TITLE AS AL-ATTIYAH AND JONES WIN TOO.
Nasser Al-Attiyah wrapped up a fifth car crown and Kevin Benavides finally got the better of Toby Price for his second Dakar Rally bike title as the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team made history with their maiden win thanks to AJ Jones and Gustavo Gugelmin in T3.
The 2023 Dakar Rally chequered flag has fallen on Sunday after 5,000 kilometres against the clock with 14 stages across Saudi Arabia, from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf via the Empty Quarter desert.
– As we got deeper into the two-week rally it became clear that nobody was going to stop Al-Attiyah picking up his fifth Dakar title, the Qatari in perfect sync with his co-driver Mathieu Baumel and their Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+. The 52-year-old said: “It was a difficult Dakar for everyone. It’s crazy to manage to defend my title. I’m very happy to win five times.”
Kevin Benavides (ARG) of Red Bull KTM Factory Team is seen at the finish line of Rally Dakar2023 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2023 // Marcelo Maragni / Red Bull Content Pool.
– Pushing Al-Attiyah closer than anyone else was nine-time WRC winner Sébastien Loeb as the Frenchman won six consecutive stages alongside co-driver Fabian Lurquin in the BRX Hunter to settle for second. The 48-year-old said: “We also set a new record of stage wins so it’s not so bad.”
– The most surprising car result came from Brazilian rookie Lucas Moraes and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk as they finished third overall on debut in a Hilux. The 31-year-old said: “Finishing on the podium is important for the rally community in Brazil because it had never happened before.”
– Finishing fourth was the Toyota Gazoo Racing duo of Giniel De Villiers/Dennis Murphy, while Kuba Przygoński/Armand Monleon and Laia Sanz/Maurizio Gerini also finished with Sanz maintained her record of completing all 13 Dakar editions that she has entered in bike and car.
Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergvist of the Team Audi Sport during the finish podium of the Dakar 2023 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2023 // DPPI / Red Bull Content Pool.
– It was left to Swedes Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist to represent Team Audi Sport on the final stage podium, but fellow Audi crews and Dakar legends Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz were forced to retire from the rally prematurely this time around.
– This year’s bike race was not decided until the final few kilometers with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Benavides now winning two of the four editions hosted by Saudi Arabia. The 34-year-old Argentine said: “It’s incredible to pull off the win at the end of this completely crazy Dakar.”
– Going into the 14th stage it was Benavides’ Australian team-mate Price who led by 12 seconds, however he slipped to 43s behind with American Skyler Howes third and Australian Daniel Sanders of Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing seventh overall after he had led the rally during the first week. There was also 12th place for Štefan Svitko while Mohammed Balooshi completed his fourth Dakar and hopefully speedy recoveries for injured Matthias Walkner, Sam Sunderland and Camille Chapelière.